Away At Boarding School
by SkullFreak16
Summary: AU. Nonmagic. Harry Potter and his twin brother Alex are sent to boarding school in the States while their parents travel. Harry makes new friends and still maintains his image while finally stepping out of Alex's perfect shadow.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: i obviously do not own any recognizable characters or anything else you might know. most of it belongs to the wonderful JK Rowling.

i know, those of you whove been reading my other stories are probably cursing me right now, and im sorry. this just kind of stuck in my head and wouldnt go away. once again, sorry, i really am working on the others! now, on with the story!!!

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James and Lily Potter had to be stark raving mad. Their son Harry cursed them with every step he took towards Hogwarts Boarding School. His parents had decided to enroll both him and his twin brother Alex in Hogwarts for a year while they traveled the world. Harry clicked his tongue ring against his teeth as he stared at the campus from the privacy gates; Alex had a look of disgust on his face as Harry continued with his nervous habit. Harry could deal with boarding school, hell he could even deal with the fact that it was on a different continent, but he couldn't deal with the fact that Alex was with him. Harry and Alex were different in so many ways. Alex was a prep, he did everything right and obeyed all the rules, a real kiss ass. Harry had been the resident bad ass in their last school.

Harry gazed critically around him with his bright green eyes as they made their way towards the mass of giant buildings. He brushed his unruly black locks streaked with green from his face and glanced over at Alex. Somehow Alex had managed to tame his wild hair years ago and had kept up with it. Harry snorted in disgust. His brother had always looked down on him because he was pierced and tattooed and really didn't seem to care about his appearance. Alex on the other hand was perfect in every sense of the word and had gotten straight A's since he could talk. Alex looked over at him.

"Really, Harry, resorting to making such rude noises now? I wasn't aware that we had gone back to being the age of five, not the seventeen year olds we really are."

Harry glared, "shove off. No one asked you."

"Now, listen here, I will not let your attitude or appearance affect what these people think of me. I do not intend on being a social outcast."

Harry merely shrugged and looked pleased that ruining his brother's image was a possibility. They reached the headmaster's office ten minutes later. Harry gave his brother a devilish smirk before rapping loudly on the door. An elderly voice bade them to enter. Harry walked into the room first, his eyes scanning over everything possible. The emerald orbs finally landed on a man sitting behind a rather large desk.

"Ah, welcome. I see you boys have made the journey okay. How was the flight from London? Not too long I hope."

Alex smiled, "not at all."

Harry grumbled, of course the flight had bloody well been long. They had traveled from London to the United States. Alex heard his brother's mumblings and promptly elbowed him in the ribs.

"Good, good. I supposed I'd better introduce myself, I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Alex said, his voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.

Harry gagged at his brother's tone before replying, "yes, very nice to meet you."

"I'd like to get started. There is a lot of information you need to know about this establishment before we get you settled into your dorms. The first and foremost, no one enters the surrounding woods without permission. Next, there are four dormitories. Some of the students may refer to them as houses, call them what you will. Within each dormitory there are four ranks, one for each year. Both of you would be in the third rank seeing as you are juniors. The dormitories are very different and where a student is placed is based on what courses you will be taking. Gryffindor is for those interested in communications and the like, Hufflepuff for those wanting to work with children, Ravenclaw for those interested in the maths and sciences, and lastly Slytherin for the artists. I'm sure you will both find where you belong within one of those." Dumbledore paused for a second before moving on, "now, there are certain classes you _must _take. They are English, a physical education of some sort, and at least a basic level of a math or a science. There are no limit to how many classes you can take. We use weekly scheduling here at Hogwarts, so you may only have one or two classes a day, and each class is an hour and a half long. Now, do either of you have any questions?"

Harry spoke up, "yes, I do. What are the other classes offered? And are there days where students can go into town?"

"Ah, excellent questions, my boy. You are Harry I presume?" Harry nodded. "We have booklets that contains classes offered," Dumbledore pulled two from his desk draw and handed them to the boys, "and, yes, there are days when you can visit town. They are usually weekend days. Any more questions?"

Both boys shook their heads and proceeded to pick and choose their classes for the year. Harry chose Advanced Algebra II, Chemistry II, French, Fine Arts III, English IV (one of Harry's favorite subjects), Digital Photography I, Phys Ed, and Art History I. Alex chose Advanced Calculus, Advanced Physics, Advanced Biology, Advanced Chemistry, English II, and Phys Ed. When they were done they handed their course selections to the Headmaster. He froze upon seeing Harry's list.

"Why, Harry, that is a very heavy work load, I don't think I've ever seen a student take so many classes in one year. It seems you will be very busy indeed. By the looks of it you will have English Monday mornings, followed by Art History, and then Chemistry. Tuesdays you'll have Advanced Algebra II, and Phys Ed. Wednesdays will be Fine Arts, a class that is twice the length. Thursdays you will be graced with French and Digital Photography. Your Fridays are free." Alex's jaw dropped at Harry's number of classes. "And you Alex will have Calculus on Mondays, Chemistry on Tuesdays, English Wednesdays, Physics Thursdays, and Phys Ed and Biology on Fridays."

Dumbledore presented Harry and Alex their schedules, locker numbers and combinations, dormitories, and room numbers, along with maps of the campus. The two boys left the Headmaster's office and went off in separate directions to find their dorms. Classes were not due to start until the following week. Harry dragged his duffle bag across campus and over to the Slytherin Dormitory, wishing his parents had allowed him his car. He walked up a flight of stairs to the third rank. Following the numbers on the doors, Harry made his way down several hallways before coming to a door wedged into a corner, number 317. Sighing, Harry pushed the door open. Inside he found a decent sized room housing two four-poster beds adorned with green and silver curtains. Half of the room appeared to already be occupied, Harry headed over to the open half, the one closest to the window.

Harry dumped his bag on his bed and went to work unpacking. He found a set of keys laying on his bedside table and slipped them into his pocket. Having finished putting all of his stuff away, Harry laid down on the bed to relax. Dinner was to be served in the Great Hall in two hours, Harry wasn't sure what he would do until that time came. Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when the door opened and a tall muscular boy walked in. He had silvery-blonde hair and stormy-gray eyes, and he hadn't noticed Harry. Harry pushed himself onto his elbows to observe the boy better, he had a great ass. Harry got to his feet and cleared his throat. The blonde turned towards him.

"Oh, hey, didn't see you. You must be my new roommate. Draco, Draco Malfoy."

Harry accepted the hand Draco offered him, "Harry Potter."

"So, you're new to Hogwarts, huh?" Harry nodded, "and you're not from the States."

"No, I'm from London. My parents sent me and my brother here for the year because they're traveling."

Draco nodded, "I see. How old is your brother?"

"Same age. We're twins, but the only thing that's identical about us is our features. He's kind of a goody-goody, although I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he saw my course list."

"How many?"

Harry blushed, "um, eight."

"Wow, in one year?" Harry nodded, "good luck with that. And I take it you're not so much of a goody-goody, huh?"

"Nope. Too many piercings and tattoos."

"Hmm, piercings huh? Where?"

Harry grinned, "just my ears and tongue for right now."

Draco smiled at him before returning to his previous activities. Harry flopped back down on his bed. This year was going to be very interesting indeed.

---

Harry spent dinner that night getting to know some of the other juniors in the Slytherin Dormitory. He liked Draco's friends, they were cool and down to earth, even though all of them screamed money. Pansy Parkinson was a petite girl with a pretty face and long black hair, Blaise Zabini was a boy of medium height with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were thick muscled boys and didn't have too much luck in the looks department, and apparently nothing in the brains department. When Draco finally introduced Harry to Daphne Greengrass, a short girl with auburn colored hair, he was disappointed to learn she was Draco's girlfriend. All in all Draco's friends accepted him and Harry couldn't have been happier.

After dinner had finished the small group gathered in the junior common room with several bottles of alcohol. It was a tradition between the friends to welcome the new school year with a night of drinking games. Harry was a bit apprehensive when Pansy picked the first game to be 'never have I ever' a game where one person made a statement and anyone who had done it had to take a shot. Harry never fared well in that type of game. Draco started the game off.

"Never have I ever snuck out after curfew."

Everyone took a drink. Pansy went next.

"Never have I ever gone streaking."

Draco, Blaise, and Harry drank. It was Blaise's turn.

"Never have I ever ran away."

Draco, Pansy, Vincent, and Daphne did shots. Daphne giggled as she thought of something to say.

"Never have I ever had sex in the back of a car."

Once again everyone took a drink.

"Okay, Harry's turn," Draco announced.

"Um, never have I ever had sex while my parents were in the house."

Draco, and Harry drank.

"Never have I ever given a blow job."

Harry inwardly groaned. He _had_ to drink, but how did he go about doing it without anyone noticing.

Blaise, Daphne, Draco, Pansy, and Harry did shots.

The game continued on with harmless statements for a while until a very drunk Pansy's turn came up.

"Never have I ever had anal sex."

Harry grimaced but took a shot anyway, along with Blaise.

"Oh, shit, Blaise, I think we've finally found someone for you," Draco declared.

Harry blushed, and Blaise came to his rescue, "he could have been the one giving, Draco."

Harry smiled his thanks to Blaise, who winked in return.

Daphne got an evil glint in her eye, "never have I ever been the one to receive anal sex."

Harry's blush deepened as once again only he and Blaise did shots, again. Draco smirked triumphantly.

"Okay, okay I know you all probably think I'm gay," a chorus of 'yes' rose around Harry, "but let me make it clear that I am bi. I go both ways."

"Wow, Harry, all that booze must be making your tongue loose," Gregory replied.

Harry shook his head, "actually I don't get drunk."

The whole group just stared at Harry until Draco broke the silence, "you're joking."

"No, I'm not. I don't get drunk. My brother does though after like one drink, hilarious really."

Draco nodded and the group continued talking until they each dispersed into their own rooms for the night. Harry and Draco both crawled into their beds completely exhausted, but feeling as though a new friendship was in the works. With the curtains drawn around his bed Harry turned onto his side and drifted off to sleep.

---

The next morning Harry woke early, like he always did, and went for a jog around the school's campus. He returned to his room an hour later to find Draco still asleep. Harry shook his head and proceeded to the showers just down the hall from his room. Finding the showers empty because of the early hour, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't too keen on showering in front of people he barely knew yet. The warm water beat down on his body and washed away the sweat and grime leaving Harry feeling clean and refreshed once he stepped out of the shower stall. Harry wrapped a towel around his waist and headed back to his room.

Harry absent mindedly scratched at his newest tattoo on his shoulder as he pulled on black boxers and a worn and ripped pair of jeans that hugged his ass nicely. As he was rooting around in his drawers for his favorite black muscle shirt he heard Draco waking up. Harry looked over his shoulder and was greeted with the sight of Draco wearing nothing but a pair of silver silk boxers. Harry's breath caught in his throat and he turned his body towards Draco. Draco ran a hand through his sleep rumpled hair and glared at Harry.

"Why the hell are you up so damn early?"

Harry shrugged, "sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Yes, you damn well did, and at 7:30 in the morning no less. I'm going to take a shower seeing as up I'm now anyway. Put a shirt on, Potter."

Harry, having forgotten he was shirtless, turned back around and finally located the shirt he'd been looking for. He pulled it over his head and faced Draco again, as if asking his approval. Draco nodded and walked out of the room. Harry stared at Draco's ass while he walked away. _Damn, _Harry thought, _that boy is sexy! No. No, I can't think about him like that, he's my roommate. I can't have the __hots__ for my roommate!_ Harry sighed, without a doubt this was going to be a very long year.

---

The week seemed to go by entirely too fast, and the next thing Harry knew they were beginning their classes. He had gotten close to Blaise, and they seemed to generally have a lot in common. Blaise was someone Harry could see himself with. While he was bi he would choose a man over a woman any day. Harry spent a good amount of time flirting with the black haired boy whenever they were together. Harry was also relieved that the Slytherin juniors had accepted him so easily, and that the only times he saw Alex were during meals in which they would stay on their sides of the Hall. All in all Harry decided that he _liked_ being at Hogwarts.

Harry had gotten up at his usual time of 4:00 and continued on with his routine. His first class, English, didn't start until 8:00. Harry bounced around his room nervously as an irritated Draco got ready for a 6:00 double period Fine Arts class. Harry laughed as Draco tossed a pillow at him while he walked out the door. He headed down for breakfast at 7:00 and stayed there until he thought he wouldn't be impossibly early to his class. Not having compared schedules, Harry was pleased to see Blaise was in the class as well. The two boys sat next to each other and chatted about Draco's not so pleasant morning mood before the lesson started.

"So, Harry, how do you like Hogwarts so far," Blaise asked after class was over.

Harry grinned, "I like it a lot more when you're talking to me."

"Well, I'll just have to keep striking up conversations with you then, won't I?"

"You damn well better, Zabini. I'm not very nice when I get bored. In fact, I tend to destroy things and set them on fire. The last time I was bored I blew up my brother's computer. Boy was he mad."

Blaise's jaw dropped, "you blew up a computer?"

Harry grinned sheepishly, "well, yeah. It's not like I had anything better to do."

Blaise threw his head back and laughed. "You're too much, Harry. Remind me never to piss you off."

"I'll do more than light your possessions on fire if you truly piss me off, and don't you forget it."

"You're scary, Potter, very scary indeed."

Harry just smiled. Blaise grinned, unable to do anything but in Harry's presence. The two boys hastily walked across campus for their 10:00 classes. Unfortunately they were only in the same area this time, and Harry thought he was forced to endure his Art History class alone, until Draco walked in. Draco was the only on Harry knew in that class and was grateful when the boy sat next to him. Draco looked at him and winked when the professor began speaking.

"Hello," she said in a whimsical tone, "I am Professor Trelawney for those of you who do not know me. Ah, I see we have a new face! Come, come, my boy. You _must_ introduce yourself!"

Harry's eyes widened in shock, "n-no, that's okay, I'd rather not."

"Now, now, you have to. It's not very often we get someone new."

Harry grumbled as he stomped to t he front of the room. "What do you want to know," he said through clenched teeth.

Professor Trelawney paid no attention to Harry's tone, "well, first things first, where are you from?"

"London."

"Ooh, how marvelous! And, what do you like to do?"

Harry scowled, "well, not this. That's for certain."

"Now, now. Tell us something interesting about you, dear."

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, "well, I have a tattoo on my ass. A result of a drunken night out."

Pr0fessor Trelawney spluttered for a second, "I see. Anything else?"

"Yeah. When I get bored I turn into a Pyromaniac. I think that's just about all."

Professor Trelawney gave Harry a tight-lipped smile, "well, it's nice to have you in my class. You will certainly make an _remarkable_ addition. You may return to your seat."

Draco chuckled at Harry when he got to his seat. Harry grinned before sitting down. He shrugged when Draco sent him a look.

"I told her I'd rather not, but she just wouldn't listen."

"A tattoo on your ass?"

Harry's grin widened, "yeah. My buddies Seamus, Dean, and Neville decided to take me out drinking as a going away thing this summer and it got out of control. The end result was me having a tattoo on my ass saying "Kiss My" with an arrow made out of the tail of the Y and devil horns on the K. Needless to say, my friends thought it hilarious."

Draco stifled his laughter, "you don't say."

"Oh, shove off, Malfoy. It's really rather embarrassing. I can only hope the tattoo artist appreciated my smooth bottom."

That did it for Draco and he burst out laughing, no longer able to control himself. Professor Trelawney looked at the two boys with clear disgust etched into her face. Harry and Draco were kicked out of class not to long after, both still laughing maniacally. The two boys trudged down the hallway wondering what to do with the rest of their time, seeing as lunch didn't start for another hour at least.

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Like? Dont like? is it worth continuing? you guys tell me!


	2. Chapter 2

The next couple of weeks passed in much the same manner for Harry and Halloween was fast approaching. He and Blaise had gotten together sometime during the first two weeks of classes and were absolutely perfect together in Harry's opinion. Draco had been a close friend since their first day of Art History. The two had bonded over the short time they'd known each other and were best friends. Although lately, Harry wasn't sure why, Draco had been pulling away from him, since he and Blaise had started being more open about their relationship, to be honest. Finally, with only a week until the Halloween Dance, Draco slammed into the room he and Harry shared in the middle of the night. Harry was jerked awake, having been sleeping due to an early class the next day, and glared at Draco. Draco paid no mind to Harry as he banged and shoved various objects that dared to get in his way. Eventually Harry couldn't take it anymore, and he growled at Draco.

"Malfoy, what is your problem? I was sleeping!"

Draco turned to face Harry, a sneer marring his perfect features, "shut up, Potter. No one asked you."

Harry threw off his covers and stood chest to chest with Draco, which was easy since they were around the same height, "look, I didn't ask you to wake me up at… one o'clock in the morning. I have class, and a major test, might I add, at 6. I do not appreciate you storming into the room trying to tear it apart. Now, I don't know what pissed you off, but if you would kindly shut up, I would like to get back to sleep."

"I'm fairly certain that what pissed me off will surely piss you off just as much."

Harry looked at Draco wearily, "why?"

"Well, you see I caught my girlfriend, now ex, in bed with someone else not moments ago."

"I still don't see how this affects me."

Draco smirked, "well, you see, she was in bed with none other than your boyfriend, Blaise Zabini."

Harry shook his head, "I don't believe you. Blaise went home to visit his mum since his classes are over for the week."

Draco sat down on the edge of his bed as he watched Harry's face drop. Harry turned on his heel, climbed into bed, and drew the curtains. He flopped on his stomach and buried his face in his pillow. No, Blaise wouldn't cheat on him. They were perfectly happy, weren't they? Harry had been sure they were. Was there something he had missed? Harry could only deduce the fact that it had been he who had done something wrong. He had somehow driven Blaise away and into the arms of another. For all the appearances Harry put on, he was dreadfully insecure when it came to relationships. He had had his heart broken at the tender age of 13. He had been dating an older boy who had beaten him and used him every chance he got. It had taken the combined efforts of all of his friends to get the guy to leave Harry alone. Harry's chest constricted as he choked on sobs.

After finally calming himself down, Harry found that he could no longer sleep. He threw back his curtains and yanked on a pair of gym shorts. Harry tore out of the room and started running. He ran for all he was worth, until he couldn't anymore. Making his way towards a bench in the quad Harry collapsed on top of it, paying no mind to the fact that the sweat on his body was turning cold as the icy wind whipped around him. Goose bumps appeared on his bare chest, but Harry didn't care. He could no longer move, his bones felt weary and his muscles ached. Shivering and shaking from cold, Harry finally passed out.

In the morning Draco awoke to an empty room a few hours later. Harry had not returned. Draco swore and hurriedly pulled on clothes and set off to find his friend. He searched for over an hour before he spotted Harry's still form on a bench. Draco rushed to Harry's side and noticed the other boy's skin was tinged a slight blue. Draco, desperate to wake Harry, lightly slapped Harry on the face. Harry let out a low moan followed soon after by a round of shivers. Draco hauled Harry over his shoulder and hurried him to the Infirmary. He placed Harry on a bed before seeking out the school nurse Ms. Pomfrey. He explained Harry's condition, and the woman gasped before practically running to his bedside. The older woman fussed over Harry as Draco stood off to the side.

"Mr. Malfoy, your hovering is not helping Mr. Potter's condition. Please, go away."

Draco scowled, "I don't think so. I'm not going anywhere."

Ms. Pomfrey gave and exasperated sigh, "honestly. You cannot stay here. Go back to your dormitory."

"No."

Ms. Pomfrey sneered, but didn't push the matter any further. Draco smirked triumphantly and sank into one of the chairs by Harry's bedside. Ms. Pomfrey continued to give Draco a few disapproving glares as she worked, but otherwise ignored Draco completely. Draco kept running through the previous night in his mind, and cursed himself for it. He had known about Harry's insecurities, but had been too wrapped up in his emotions to even consider Harry. He had been the first one Harry had ever opened up to, he was sure of it. Draco had to swallow his guilt for the time being, feeling guilty was not going to help Harry recover any faster. No matter how much he wanted Harry better, it was all up to Harry now. Only Harry could get himself through this. And Draco had a feeling he didn't want to get better.

When the 5 minute warning bell rang, Draco, much to Ms. Pomfrey's disgust, didn't even bother to move. Draco spent the entire day sitting at Harry's bedside. Every now and then he would take Harry's hand into his own and give it a gentle squeeze. Draco desperately wished for Harry to wake up. He couldn't help but feel the whole thing was his fault. If he had just stopped and considered how his ranting would affect Harry, he never would have opened his mouth. Draco had long since lost track of how long he had been sitting in the same position, but the sun had dropped from the sky and the moon was shining brightly. Harry had still not awoken .Ms. Pomfrey had made herself scarce, only showing up to give Harry a once over. When she finally returned, Draco could not hold his tongue anymore.

"What's wrong with him?" he growled, "why won't he wake up?"

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter's body is in shock. We don't know how long he had been out there in the cold. You said that he had been out running the last time you saw him. His body obviously went through a dramatic temperature change. As for what he has, as I have no doubt he has caught something from the dreadful weather, I will not know until he wake up."

"What if he doesn't wake up?"

"There's nothing we can do now, but hope. Sitting here not eating or sleeping is not helping. You need to go back to your room and get a good night's sleep. Eat breakfast in the morning, and then come back. Mr. Potter is going to need you when he wakes up. You cannot provide him with what he needs if you are on the bed next to him. Now, go get some rest."

Draco was about to open his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and snapped his jaw shut. He nodded and pulled himself out of the chair he had not vacated all day. With one last glance at Harry's unmoving body, Draco sighed and left.

---

Draco returned to the Infirmary as soon as he'd finished picking at his breakfast. He was surprised to see a privacy curtain drawn around Harry's bed. Faint voices could be heard and Draco held his breath, hoping one of those voices was Harry's. Draco began pacing around the Infirmary, not being able to stand still for more than a second or two. The minutes seemed to drag on forever before Ms. Pomfrey emerged from behind the curtain. She was quickly attacked by Draco and his incessant questions.

"How is he? Did he wake up?"

Ms. Pomfrey held up a hand, "relax Mr. Malfoy. Yes, he is awake, but he's slightly disoriented. There is no doubt in my mind that he has Hypothermia, now. A few days bed rest in a warm atmosphere should be all he needs. I've adjusted his IV, and he should be able to leave by tonight."

"Thanks. Can I see him?"

At Ms. Pomfrey's nod, Draco rushed forward and behind the curtain. Harry looked at him with a dazed expression on his face. Draco shook his head at his friend and sat down in the chair by his bed. The pair remained silent for a few minutes, both trying to figure out what to say. Draco's guilt magnified ten-fold when he noticed Harry shiver slightly. Draco sighed and hung his head, not being able to stand looking Harry in the eye. He wasn't sure how long he'd had his head down, but eventually Draco felt a tentative hand brush through his hair. Draco looked up slowly. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Harry simply held up his hand.

"Don't Draco. Please."

"Harry, I-"

Harry shook his head, "don't say you're sorry. Don't say you wish you'd told me in a different way. Just don't. I don't need to hear it, I know it."

"I just feel like I failed you somehow. I should have thought of you for just one second instead of trying to forget my own pain. It hurt me so much to see Daphne in the arms of another. We've been together since 7th grade, our parents run in the same circles and they chose to send us to the same boarding schools from middle school on. I thought she would be the girl I'd marry. I guess not, though, huh? This is going to rip our circle of friends apart. I just can't understand how Blaise could do this to me, us, I've known him since kindergarten."

Harry stared at a spot on the wall, having no reply to Draco's speech. This would bring the two of them even closer together, of that Harry was sure. His crush on Draco had never gone away, but Harry had been able to ignore it because Draco was his best friend, and not to mention straight. Harry sighed. He wasn't sure how long he could keep his infatuation hidden from Draco now that they were both unattached. Sharing a room with someone you learn their every nuance, how they respond to scary situations, and how they think. It was hard to ignore the little details in such close quarters, and Harry was surprised that Draco had not figured out his feelings. Every day he had battled with himself, should he tell Draco, or stay with Blaise. Harry could feel a headache coming on as his thoughts whirled through his mind.

Draco stared at Harry, who was completely oblivious. Draco had always been straight, but did not label himself as such. He was a firm believer in not being able to choose who you fell in love with. If it was a male who won his heart, then so be it. His mother had always accepted him for who he was, and his father had been caught in a bad business deal and was brutally murdered when he was a kid of all but 3. All in all, Draco had lived a very loved life. Narcissa had remarried a 7 years prior. Draco had been pleased his mother had found someone to love. His godfather Severus Snape had been a pillar in their lives since he could remember. Now, Draco had three half siblings and another on the way. The twins, little Annabelle and Ariana were the oldest at 6 years old, and Gabriel was 3. Draco loved watching them as they grew up.

Both Draco and Harry snapped to attention when the Infirmary door opened with a loud bang. Draco whipped his head around to see who dared to intrude on the moment he was having. How dare they burst into the room when Draco was picturing how Harry would be with his younger siblings. Draco scowled as the person got nearer to Harry's bed. He had to force down the growl that threatened to spill from his throat at the sight of Blaise. The boy in questions seemed not to notice Draco's odd reaction to him, and hurried over to Harry's bedside. Harry moved as far away from him as he could without falling off the bed. Blaise's face flashed with confusion and hurt before settling into a mask of indifference. He took a step back.

"Harry, babe, what happened?"

Harry's eyes narrowed, "I don't see why you'd care, Zabini."

"I'm your boyfriend. Of course I care."

Harry shook his head, "no, you're not my boyfriend anymore. Not after what you did. How long, Blaise? Hm? How long have you been cheating on me? And why with one of your closest friend's girlfriend?"

Blaise's expression darkened, "oh, finally found out did you? Took you long enough. How'd you find out anyway?"

"Draco saw the two of you."

Blaise laughed, "ah, I see. Did you honestly think I could really love you, Potter? No, you're too whiney for me. I don't do little bitches. Although, you were a good fuck. I'll miss that."

Harry's jaw dropped as Blaise turned on his heel and headed for the door. Draco finally snapped out of his stupor and charged at Blaise. He tackled Blaise to the ground, and they both fell hard. Blaise snarled in outrage as Draco's fist connected with his jaw. In a second Blaise had flipped them over so he was the one on top, delivering blows to Draco's stomach and face. Harry heard and audible crunch and the tell tale spurt of blood that signaled a broken nose and squeaked in horror. He felt helpless just sitting on the bed, but he was tired and achy. Just lifting his arm earlier had been tough. Blaise and Draco continued to scrabble and flail all over the floor, forgetting that they were in the Infirmary.

"What is all this ruckus?" Ms. Pomfrey gasped at the sight of the two boys wrestling about on the floor. "All right, that's enough! Stop it, the both of you!" Ms. Pomfrey's shouts went unnoticed. "I said, ENOUGH!"

Draco looked up from his current spot underneath Blaise. Blaise stopped with his fist drawn back, ready to land another blow. Ms. Pomfrey made noises of disapproval as she hurried the two beaten and battered boys into beds of their own. Draco scowled as the elderly nurse fussed over him. She poked and prodded him all over his body. When she reached his right shoulder, Draco winced in pain. Ms. Pomfrey hesitated and then prodded again. Draco hissed and glared at her. After a third poke, Draco's lip was curled in disgust. He gritted his teeth and prepared for another round of prodding from the nurse. Draco wasn't disappointed.

"Ouch, woman, that hurts. How many times are you going to fucking poke the same spot? I think it's pretty clear that it isn't okay."

"Language, Mr. Malfoy. I'm just trying to see how much damage was done."

"Obviously a hell of a lot," Draco muttered under his breath.

Finally, Ms. Pomfrey moved on. She bandaged his nose and then moved on to Blaise. After ten minutes she returned to Draco's side. He bared his teeth and shifted away, very much aware of her intentions. Ms. Pomfrey shook her head at his antics and continued on to shift his arm into the proper position as Draco hissed and snarled in pain. After a stern warning not to move, Ms. Pomfrey disappeared into her office. Draco studiously avoided looking at Harry, afraid of what he would see in his eyes. In what seemed like no time Ms. Pomfrey had emerged from her office and headed back over towards Draco's bed.

"I cannot treat that arm here. It's at best a dislocated shoulder. I think it's best if it was looked at by a professional. You have the choice of having them come here, or you going there."

Draco set his jaw, "I'm not going anywhere."

Ms. Pomfrey nodded shortly, "very well, then. The doctor should be here within the hour. Mr. Zabini," she greeted Blaise as she strode over to his bed, "you may go. All that's wrong with you is a few bumps and bruises, nothing major. I do not want to see you back in here while Mr. Malfoy is a patient. And don't think I won't be mentioning this to your House Advisor. The both of you will be receiving detention for fighting."

Draco sighed in resignation, and didn't argue the point, although Severus was going to kill him when he found out. It was both a curse and a blessing going to the same school his godfather taught at. His mother had figured it a good way to keep him in line and also give him someone in the family to turn to should there be need. Draco wasn't too fond of the idea now, though. Sev would give him a punishment far more severe than the one he would give Blaise. Severus expected more from Draco, and there was no doubt in Draco's mind that he would show his displeasure. Draco watched Blaise as he got to his feet, smirked, and left the Infirmary. Not two minutes later did Severus walk through the doors. Draco winced at the murderous expression on his face.

"Draco Lucius Aidan Malfoy, what on earth were you thinking?"

Draco hung his head in shame, "I'm sorry, Sev."

"Sorry isn't good enough."

Harry saw his chance and seized it, "he was defending me, sir."

Severus' head snapped in Harry's direction, "excuse me?"

"Yeah, Sev, Blaise pretty much said he'd been using Harry and that all Harry was to him was a cheap fuck. I couldn't allow him to get away with that."

Severus sighed, "Draco, you know that violence is never the answer. Why disregard that now?"

Draco shrugged his good shoulder, "I don't know. I just snapped I guess."

"How bad is it?" Severus gestured towards Draco's right arm.

"Dunno. Doctor hasn't been in yet."

Severus nodded, "very well. Let that be a reminder of what happens when one resorts to violence. Make no mistake, you will serve your detention as soon as you have healed. Keep me posted on the situation. Feel better Mr.…"

Harry flushed, "Potter, sir. Harry Potter."

Severus nodded before exiting the Infirmary. Harry glared at Draco and turned his back on him. Draco groaned in frustration. He knew that Harry wouldn't appreciate being fought over, but he couldn't let Blaise get away with that cheap dig. No, Harry meant far too much to him. That was a feeling Draco wasn't sure he was ready to look at too closely just yet. He had always been aware of the slight attraction he had to Harry, but had been all it was. Draco hissed as he jostled his shoulder by shifting slightly, Harry didn't even turn his way. For some reason, Harry's obvious avoidance hurt him more than a dislocated shoulder ever could. Draco got lost in his own thoughts, desperately trying to understand why he had certain feelings.


	3. Author's Note

Hey guys. I am so sorry I have not updated in a while. Things have been absolutely crazy in my life. Plus, being at the end of my junior year I guess I just left you guys hanging. I honestly didn't mean to. But the good news is I am currently working on the next chapters for all of my stories. I'll probably update With Nothing Left To Lose first (I'm almost done with that chapter), then It Could Have Been Worse next (halfway done), and finally Away At Boarding School last (barely started). I know this is such a tease and I always get cranky when other authors do this, it's kind of like "ooh! New chapter! YAY!" only to find out it's an author's note, but I just wanted you guys to know I'm still alive. You will have your updates soon, probably within the next month as school is almost over! I hope you guys are still out there eagerly awaiting the next installments for my stories!


	4. Chapter 3

OK guys, I know you've been waiting for me to update for a long time, and I apologize! I was suffering from writer's block, and then a lost interest for writing, and then my computer died on me. But I have managed to overcome my writing dilemmas and I have a new computer. I'll try to update more often from now on.

* * *

Autumn slowly gave way to winter. Things between Harry and Draco were still strained, but they were closer than ever. They bonded over their lost loves and found solace in each other. With every day that had passed since that day in the infirmary, Draco cursed Blaise. Harry took to hiding within his own mind more and more, and Draco's shoulder hurt like a bitch. As it turned out, he'd not only dislocated his shoulder but also torn his rotator cuff. The doctor wanted to see how the shoulder would heal on his own before he even considered the option of surgery. It was safe to say that Draco's shot at playing any spring sports was shot.

Draco was currently resting on his bed doing a few shoulder exercises his doctor suggested he try. With every movement he made, Draco winced in pain. A glance at his alarm clock told him he'd been at it for an hour, and his shoulder was telling him it was quitting time. Slowly getting to his feet, Draco crossed the room to his desk and pulled out his pain medication. He swallowed the chalky white pill dry. Draco ran his good hand through his silky, blond hair and sighed. Harry was due back from class any minute and he wanted to have a word with the boy. It seemed like Harry had been avoiding him for weeks. It was time to end it. Harry entered the room a few minutes later.

Draco took a deep breath, "Harry?"

Harry looked up from what he was doing, "yeah, Dray?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

Harry noted the seriousness in Draco's voice and took that as a hint and sat down on the bed, "okay. Go ahead."

"Look, things have been, different since the whole infirmary debacle. You've become distant. You're not the same guy you were before that. I miss how things used to be. You're so much more withdrawn nowadays."

"I'm sorry, Dray," Harry sighed, "it's just been hard. I just feel so betrayed."

Draco nodded, "I understand that, but you have to trust me. I'm here for you."

"I know you are, and that means a lot. It just bugs me to have to see his face every day."

Draco thought for a moment. This could be his only chance, and it was perfect. Tomorrow was Friday, both one of them had a free day, and then there was the weekend. He had been dying to go home and see his mom and his little siblings for a while now. Maybe this was just what he and Harry needed, a weekend away from school. Yeah, it sounded perfect, a Hogwarts-free three days. Draco bit his lip and thought for a moment. He wasn't sure how Harry would take it.

"Harry, how would you feel about spending the next three days with me and my family? We could escape school and just relax. We wouldn't have to worry about anything."

Harry broke out into the first genuine smile Draco had seen in days, "that sounds wonderful. Won't your mom mind though?"

Draco shrugged, "no, not really. She's been dying to meet you since Sev mentioned you in October. And she always loves when I come home for the weekend."

"Okay, yeah, why not?"

"Good. I hope you don't mind little kids though. I've got three younger siblings and another on the way."

Harry shook his head, "no problem, I love kids. I used to work at a day care during the summer back home. When do we leave?"

Draco laughed, "as soon as we're done packing. I hope you don't mind driving though, I'd really rather not catch a ride with Sev and the doctor says I'm not allowed to drive while taking my pain meds. Have you driven in the States before?"

"Yeah, Dray, I have. My parents have a house in California. We visit every summer. I have a car there."

Draco nodded. The two boys started packing in a comfortable silence, only speaking to ask one another to pass something over. Harry was thrilled that Draco had thought to ask him to tag along. Draco had been right, he'd been a lot more distant recently, but only because now that they were both single it seemed as though his feelings for Draco had intensified. Harry didn't really mind having feelings for Draco, but he didn't like not knowing how Draco felt about him. Were they just friends, or could they be something more? Harry hoped that Draco would at least try to give them a chance to be something more.

Maybe this weekend was just what they needed. Harry made up his mind to tell Draco how he really felt that weekend. Hopefully he wouldn't freak Draco out too badly. In a rare show of nervousness, Harry clicked his tongue ring against his teeth. Draco noticed the small action, but chose not to comment on it. He felt it best to let Harry dwell on his own thoughts. Draco could see swells of different emotions wash over the raven-haired beauty's face. Yes, that was how Draco had come to see him. He had noticed Harry's crush early on, but had chosen to ignore it because of their respective partners. Now though, there was nothing to hold them back. They had a lot of potential as a couple, and Draco was going to get Harry to see that and get over his insecurities.

Within an hour the boys had packed their bags and were on their way. Draco said the drive was just over an hour. Draco popped in a mixed CD he had made especially for the times he made the drive home. The disc held all sorts of music, there was no rhyme or reason to the songs he had chosen to include on his road mix. Harry looked at him questioningly when an old O-Town song came on. Harry hadn't heard that song in years and it kind of startled him to hear it now, sitting right beside his secret love. Draco only smirked in return and started singing along with the song. After a minutes Harry couldn't help but laugh and join in. Draco turned the music down when the song ended.

"Harry, um, I was kind of wondering if…"

"What is it, Draco? Come on, spit it out."

Draco turned to look out the window and took a deep breath, "Iwaswonderingifyouwouldgooutwithme."

Harry looked startled by Draco's outburst, "what was that?"

Draco faced Harry, "I was wondering if you would go out with me. Like, be my boyfriend…"

Harry's jaw dropped before he snapped it shut, "Dray? Wha – why would you ask me that?"

"I like you Harry. I think I have for a while, but it just wasn't possible before. And I don't see a reason as to why it can't work out now. Please?"

"Draco, I don't know. I don't just want to be an experiment. I won't be used as a tool to help you answer the whole 'do I like boys?' question."

Draco looked taken aback, "Harry, you wouldn't just be a tool. I don't care if you're a boy, or a girl. I just go by what my heart says. And right now it's saying that it wants you. I know it may seem sudden, but I've wanted to ask you since that day in the infirmary. I've never snapped like that, and I knew that it was because you had a hold on my heart. Please, Harry, just give us a chance. I think we can be great together."

"But what about your mother? Won't she care that her son is dating a boy? Or Severus for that matter? Won't he care that the boy you got into a fight over is now your boyfriend?"

"They won't care. All they've ever wanted is for me to be happy. They don't care if it happens to be a boy that I'm with. They stand by me no matter what. And I'm pretty sure Sev is expecting for me to ask you out because he knows I don't usually lose my temper so easily."

Harry hesitated, the look on Draco's face told him that Draco was being completely sincere, but was he ready to jump back into the flames again. What if he got burned even worse than the last time? Draco was looking at him with hope-filled eyes waiting for his answer. Harry gnawed on his bottom lip and clicked his tongue ring. It was time he trust himself. He usually had good instincts. Harry glanced at Draco one more time and sighed. He knew from the moment he saw Draco he was hooked.

"Okay, Draco."

Draco's eyes lit up, "you'll be my boyfriend?"

Harry nodded, "yes, I'd love to. Just don't break my heart, Draco."

"I won't, Harry," Draco whispered, "I won't."


	5. Chapter 4

Draco grinned to himself as Harry continued driving; he finally had what he wanted. Blaise was an idiot to have let Harry go, Draco wasn't as stupid. He knew a rare treasure when he saw one. Harry's potential was just waiting to be unlocked. Draco looked around at his surroundings; they were roughly five minutes away from his house. He signaled to Harry to make a left turn, which began the long, winding road to his drive way. As the house came into view, Harry gasped. It was huge.

"Welcome, Harry, to Malfoy-Snape Manor. When my father passed away my mother couldn't bear to move, so Sev just added onto the existing manor. You're no intimidated are you?"

Harry grinned, "nah. Not really. I just wasn't expecting a house of such grandeur in the States."

Harry parked where Draco directed him to and they climbed out of the car. Harry slung both of their bags over his shoulder and followed Draco to the front door. As soon as Draco had pushed the door open, he was enveloped in a hug by three little black-haired, giggling blurs. Harry smiled as he watched the scene unfold. It was nice to see Draco in his home environment. It showed Harry a side of Draco that he had not yet been able to experience. There was a light to Draco's eye when he was interacting with his younger siblings that Harry found absolutely adorable.

"Draco! I missed you."

"Aww. Anna, I missed you, too. Have you been good for mommy?"

The little girl blushed, and looked away, "yes."

Draco gave her a skeptical look, "so if I go and ask her right now, she'll have nothing but good things to say, right?"

"Draco. She's lying. Mommy caught her trying to sneak in a doggy. Yesterday!"

"Ari, it's not nice to tell on your sister. And Anna, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you promised to behave?"

The two little girls looked sheepish, and hung their heads, "sorry, Draco."

Harry couldn't help but grin at the adorable scene. It was then that he was noticed by the third blur that had attached itself to Draco's legs. The little boy looked at him with a guarded expression before tugging at Draco's pants. Draco chuckled a bit.

"Yes, Gabe? What can I do for you?"

Gabe pointed a chubby finger at Harry, "Who's that?"

"That's my friend, Harry. I met him at school. Why don't you say hello? All of you," Draco gave the three youngsters a shove in Harry's direction.

Harry, not wanting to intimidate the children, dropped to his knees, "hello. I'm Harry. And you might you three cuties be?"

"I'm Annabelle. I'm six. How old are you?"

"I'm seventeen. Same age as Draco. And you have a very pretty name, Annabelle."

Ariana, not willing to be upstaged by her sister, stepped forward, "I'm Ariana. I'm the good twin. Anna's always in trouble."

Harry chuckled, "I have a twin as well. But I'm not the good one," he winked conspiratorially at Anna.

Anna giggled while Ariana huffed, "then you must be a bad boy. You shouldn't be around Draco. You're going to be a bad influence."

Harry's jaw dropped in shock as Draco reprimanded Ariana, "Ari. That wasn't nice. Apologize to our guest. You know better."

Ari just glared at Harry and walked away. Harry stood up and rubbed a nervous hand against the back of his neck. He couldn't believe he'd just been told off by a six year old. While staring at Draco for some sense of what to do, Harry felt a gentle tug on his pants. He looked down to see the little boy holding his arms up begging to be held. Harry obliged the little boy and bent to scoop him up. As Harry righted himself the little boy clung to his neck. Harry, being an old hat to kids, gently rubbed the child's back.

"What is your name, handsome?"

The little boy buried his face in Harry's shoulder, "Gabe."

"Nice to meet you, Gabe."

Draco smiled at Harry, Gabe didn't usually take to strangers. He led Harry through the house to his mother's sitting room. Narcissa grinned when she saw her oldest son, and pulled him into a hug, being mindful of his shoulder. Draco inhaled his mother's familiar scent and hugged her tightly. When she pulled back, Narcissa noticed the other boy in the room, his arms full of her youngest son.

"Hello, dear. I'm Narcissa, Draco's mother. Who might you be?"

Harry blushed under her scrutiny, "I'm Harry Potter, ma'am. I'm Draco's roommate at school. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Narcissa smiled, "indeed. But please, call me Cissa, ma'am makes me feel old."

"Of course, Cissa."

Narcissa turned and sat down on the couch, "please have a seat. You'll have to excuse me, this little one is causing trouble for me at the moment."

Harry sat down and settled Gabe on his lap, "how far along are you? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all, dear boy. I'm just entering my seventh month. You would think I'd be used to it after four kids already," Narcissa chuckled.

"Gabe, Anna, why don't you two run along and play. Let the grownups have a talk," Draco waited until the two children left the room before speaking again, "Mother, I have to tell you Ari's behavior was rather appalling upon meeting Harry."

Narcissa sighed, "what did that little imp do now?"

"She was just rude to Harry. I reprimanded her, but she walked off and ignored me. I think you should have Sev talk to her."

"Of course, darling. Now tell me about your young man here. You're not just roommates, that much I can tell."

Draco took the time to explain everything to his mother. Laying out all of the details from when he had met Harry until now. Narcissa didn't pass judgment, she merely smiled at her son. She wasn't one of those parents that condemned their child just because of whomever he or she decided to choose as a partner. In all honesty, she was happy for Draco, she had never liked that Greengrass girl. It was obvious by the way Draco spoke that Harry made him happy, and the was all Narcissa could ask for.

"Draco, why don't you show Harry the guest room in your wing and the two of you can get settled. Dinner will be at five o'clock sharp. You know the rules Draco. See that you both adhere to them."

Draco nodded at led Harry up the stairs to his wing of the house. When Sev had moved in, he had built Draco his own wing to ensure his privacy. He knew more children would be brought into the house. As Draco had gotten older they had remodeled the wing to fit. There was now two guestrooms, and his bedroom, each with its own bathroom, an entertainment room, and a small kitchen/dining room. Harry marveled at the set up as Draco showed him around. It turned out that Draco gave Harry the guest room right next to his bedroom instead of the one down the hall. He left Harry to get settled into the room and went to take a quick shower. Harry puttered around his room for a while before going out to the entertainment room and relaxing on the couch.

Draco emerged from his room twenty minutes later to find Harry asleep on the couch. Draco grinned and settled himself next to Harry. The shifting of the couch rousted Harry from his light slumber and he looked at Draco sheepishly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep."

Draco grinned, "it's okay. You must be tired. Two classes and driving for over an hour must have worn you out. It's only three now, why don't you take a nap and I'll wake you when it's time to get ready for dinner, okay?"

Harry nodded and settled back on the couch, this time closer to Draco. Harry slung his arm around Draco and pulled the boy closer to him, forcing Draco to cuddle with him. He didn't leave Draco any choice and smiled to himself. Draco didn't much mind being cuddled up with Harry. He flipped on the TV to see what was on so he had something to do while Harry napped; he couldn't afford to fall asleep too. His mother would kill him if he missed dinner.

*…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…* *…*

Back at Hogwarts, Alex was sitting in the lounge of his dorm. His two friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger sat on the couch next to him. They were all studying for their Biology exam the next day. Although Alex knew he could pass the test in his sleep, he was dutifully studying in order to keep his bushy-haired friend off his back. Hermione was like a slave driver when it came to school work, not that Alex was a slacker when it came to academics. Ron, his red-haired best friend, was nothing like him and Hermione. Alex was actually feeling guilty because he had heard what had happened to his brother and had not bothered to see how he was doing. Alex closed his books and stood up.

Hermione looked at him curiously, "going somewhere, Alex?"

"Yeah. I need to see my brother. I'll be back later."

Hermione and Ron shrugged as he made his way out of the lounge. Alex vaguely knew where the Slytherin dorm was located and started off in that direction, figuring he'd wing it from there. The trek across campus was a slow one. Alex was lost in thought. He should have been a better brother to Harry. He wasn't quite sure where the two of them had gone wrong in their relationship. Growing up the two boys had been closer than anything. However, as the years went on, their relationship grew strained until only hostility remained. Alex was sure it had something to do with his own insecurities. When Harry had come out to his parents about being bi-sexual, Alex knew he couldn't damn his parents to never having grandchildren. He was forced into the closet with a big padlock on the outside. Alex resented Harry for that.

The Slytherin dorms had been easier to find than Alex had thought. He slowly climbed up the stairs to the third floor. He walked down the hallway until he came to the door with Harry's name on it. Alex knocked and waited, but got no answer. _That's odd_, he thought to himself. He knew his brother was done with classes for the day and no activities had been scheduled and dinner wasn't for another hour. _I wonder where my brother has run off to. _Alex took a minute to think before pulling out his cell phone and dialing Harry's phone number. The phone rang and rang before finally going to voicemail. That was even stranger; Harry always answered his cell phone, even for him.

Alex was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice his Chemistry professor walking towards him. When he finally noticed the man was standing next to him. Alex smiled.

"Hello, Professor Snape."

Severus Snape grinned at his best student, "hello, Mr. Potter. What brings you to these dorms? Don't you belong in Gryffindor?"

Alex blushed, "yes, sir. But I came here hoping to find my brother. It seems he's not in. No one answered the door."

Severus look contemplative for a moment, "he must have gone home for the weekend with my god-son. Is there anything I could help you with?"

"No, sir. I just really wanted to speak to him. I suppose it can wait until he gets back. Thanks anyway."

And with that Alex took his leave, passing by the third floor lounge as he did so. He didn't notice someone following behind him calling Harry's name until the person grabbed his shoulder. Alex turned around to face a small black haired girl. She looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"Oh, sorry. You're not Harry. You must be his brother, then. I'm Pansy Parkinson," she extended her hand.

Alex took the offered hand, "Alex Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Pansy grinned, "and you as well. Sorry to have bothered you. You wouldn't happen to know where Harry is would you? I wanted to tell him I'm sorry for Blaise's behavior. Your brother is so sweet, he didn't deserve that."

"It seems he went home with Draco for the weekend. Who's Blaise? What did he do to Harry? Wait. Isn't that the guy he was dating?"

Pansy nodded, "yeah. Harry and Blaise were dating, before Harry found out the scumbag cheated on him with Draco's girlfriend."

Alex shook with rage, "that bastard. I'll kill him. Where does he get off cheating on my brother?"

"Woah," Pansy took a step back, "I wasn't under the impression that you and Harry were that close. I must have been mistaken."

"No," Alex sighed, "we aren't that close. But he's still my brother."

Pansy nodded and watched as Alex walked off with a dejected tilt in his shoulders. She knew at that moment that Alex cared more about his brother than he let on to Harry. The poor boy. Pansy made a vow at that moment to help Alex reinstate his relationship with Harry, even if it killed her. With a smirk she walked off to her room to place a phone call to Draco.

Alex walked back to his dorm with a frown on his face. He wished Harry could have talked to him about what had happened with Blaise, instead of having to find out from a stranger. The relationship he had with his brother was tired. Alex promised himself that he would get over his own issues and be a better brother. He pulled out his cell phone again, this time dialing his parents. The phone seemed to ring forever before he heard his mother's light, airy voice.

"Alex, darling. How are you?"

Alex smiled, "I'm good mom. Do you think you could put me on speaker? I have something I want to say to both you and dad."

"Sure, honey. James, come here. Alex wants to speak to both of us."

"Son, is everything alright?" Alex smiled at his dad's firm, but concerned voice.

"Yes, dad. Everything is fine. I just want to tell you and mom something. I hate to do this over the phone, but I have to tell you now. Before I lose my nerve. I know you both love me and Harry very much, no matter what. I hate to disappoint you. As you both know Harry is bi with a male preference. I've been afraid to tell you my secret because of that. Mom, dad, I'm gay."


End file.
